The Bibliophile's Compass

🔴 1664 Pierre Corneille's play, the tragedy "Othon" premieres in Paris 🔴 1703 Daniel Defoe is placed in a pillory for the crime of seditious libel after publishing a politically satirical pamphlet, but is pelted with flowers 🔴 1786 "Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish dialect" by Robert Burns, known also as the Kilmarnock Edition is published by John Wilson in Kilmarnock, Scotland 🔴 1985 Indian writer R.K. Narayan publishes his short story collection "Under the Banyan Tree and Other Stories" 🔴 2016 “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child", a play by Jack Thorne with contributions by J. K. Rowling premieres at Palace Theatre in London

🔴 1935 First Penguin books published, starting the paperback revolution 🔴 1981 Simon Gray's play "Quartermaine's Terms" premieres in London 🔴 1991 Kristin Hannah’s A Handful of Heaven published 🔴 2024 The Wedding People by Alison Espach published

🔴 1954 Publication of "Fellowship of the Ring" 1st volume of "Lord of the Rings" by J. R. R. Tolkien by George Allen and Unwin in London

Title : Nothing to See Here Author : Kevin Wilson Publication Year : 2019, October 29 Pages : 288 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Literary fiction, Humor, Magical Realism, Fantasy Source : eBook Opening Sentence : In the late spring of 1995, just a few weeks after I’d turned twenty-eight, I got a letter from my friend Madison Roberts. “Nothing to See Here” by Kevin Wilson is a humorous story about an unusual friendship between Lillian and Madison. The narrative shifts between the origins of their friendship—how it began and how it should have ended but didn’t—and their current lives together. While the story centres on this odd friendship, the main plot revolves around Lillian taking care of Madison’s famous political husband’s children as a governess. There’s one unusual twist: the children literally catch on fire when they become agitated, representing either a physical or psychological illness or just being neurodivergent. I am not sure which one: is it a disability or just simply bein...

🔴 1790 Henry James Pye appointed as British Poet Laureate by King George III 🔴 1828 First theatrical performance of Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein" as "Presumption; or, the Fate of Frankenstein" by Richard Brinsley Peake, starring Thomas Potter Cooke at Covent Garden 🔴 1951 Walt Disney releases animated musical film "Alice In Wonderland", featuring Kathryn Beaumont, J. Pat O'Malley, Ed Wynn, and Sterling Holloway and songs by Sammy Fain and Bob Hilliard

  🔴 1958 Noonday by Pat Barker is published

🔴 1973 Peter Shaffer's musical "Equus" premieres in London 🔴 2016 Liz Moore’s The Unseen World published

🔴 1897 Writer Jack London sails to join the Klondike Gold Rush where he will write his first successful stories 🔴 1993 Romantic comedy film "Sleepless in Seattle" starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, co-written and directed by Nora Ephron, is released 🔴 2010 British TV series "Sherlock" debuts starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss

Title : Me Talk Pretty One Day Author : David Sedaris Publication Year : 2000 Pages : 272 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Essay, Humor Source : Audiobook @storytel.tr Opening Sentence : ANYONE WHO WATCHES EVEN THE SLIGHTEST amount of TV is familiar with the scene: An agent knocks on the door of some seemingly ordinary home or office. The door opens, and the person holding the knob is asked to identify himself. The agent then says, “I’m going to ask you to come with me.” If you are a fan of humor and stand-up comedy, “Me Talk Pretty One Day” by David Sedaris is a must-read, especially the audiobook narrated by the author himself, which includes some bonus performances. “Me Talk Pretty One Day” is a collection of humorous essays about Sedaris's childhood and his adult life in France. I assure you that it is both hilarious and occasionally disturbingly amusing. You'll find yourself asking, “Why would you do that?” or “Why would you say that?” But Sedaris consciously crafts these di...

🔴 1901 Writer O. Henry is released from prison in Austin, Texas after serving three years for embezzlement from a bank 🔴 1956 Brendan Behan's first play "Quare Fellow" premieres in London 🔴 2002 On 200th anniversary of his birth French author Alexandre Dumas' ('The Three Musketeers') ashes are interred in the Panthéon in Paris in a televised ceremony 🔴 2012 Danielle Steel’s novel “Friends Forever: A Novel” is published

🔴 1975 Alan Ayckbourn's play "Absent Friends" premieres in London 🔴 2018 "Sabrina" by Nick Drnaso becomes 1st graphic novel named to Longlist for Man Booker Prize (best fiction written in English)

🔴 2021 12 Bytes: How We Got Here. Where We Might Go Next by Jeanette Winterson published

🔴 1669 John Locke's Constitution of English colony Carolina is approved 🔴 2007 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book in the series by J.K. Rowling, is published worldwide, and 11 million copies sell in 24 hours

Title : The Overcoat Author : Nikolai Gogol Publication Year : 1842 Pages : 57 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Satire Source : ebook & audiobook @storytel.tr Opening Sentence : In the department of--but it is better not to mention the department. There is nothing more irritable than departments, regiments, courts of justice, and, in a word, every branch of public service. First of all, Sir! This is no short story. Let’s make it clear. Novella, maybe. Short story, no! “The Overcoat” by Gogol is the story of Akaky Akakievich, who is content with his routine job; he is more than content, he thoroughly enjoys his role as a copyist. Nothing should change his routine! He is almost me, or a cat, or Bartleby, the Scrivener! He is happy with his job and is respected for what he does, but there are always bullies at the workplace. So, he has to deal with that aspect of his job as well. However, nothing stops him from his obsession with what he does. Until he finds a new obsession! He needs a new overc...

🔴 1967 Chilean poet and diplomat Pablo Neruda receives 1st Viareggio-Versilia Prize, recognizing “world personalities who work for culture and understanding between peoples” 🔴 2017 Emily R. Austin’s Oh Honey published

🔴 1674 Court of Holland bans books of Hobbes, Spinoza and Meyer 🔴 1850 American cargo ship 'Elizabeth', returning from Italy, wrecks in a storm of coast of Fire Island, New York, killing 10, including journalist Margaret Fuller, her husband, and child. 🔴 1995 Teen comedy film "Clueless" is released, loosely based on Jane Austen's book "Emma" starring Alicia Silverstone, directed by Amy Heckerling

🔴 1995 "Dreams from My Father", a memoir by Barack Obama is published by Times Books 🔴 2018 Terry Hayes’s I Am Pilgrim published

Title : Such a Fun Age Author : Kiley Reid Publication Year : 2019 Pages : 310 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Literary Fiction Source : eBook Awards : longlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize; Goodreads Choice Award (Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fiction (2020), Winner for Readers' Favorite Debut Novel (2020)) Opening Sentence : That night, when Mrs. Chamberlain called, Emira could only piece together the words “. . . take Briar somewhere . . ." and ". . . pay you double." Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid is the story of Emira, an African American girl who is still trying to figure out what she wants from her life in her mid-twenties. She has different roles: a babysitter for Alix (a white, rich woman), a girlfriend to Kelly (a white man), and a good friend to her friends. So she somehow navigates her self within this triangle of relationships, when the story escalates at the beginning of the novel by putting Emira in a traumatizing situation in whic...

🔴 1814 Matthew Flinders publishes "A Voyage to Terra Australis", detailing his circumnavigation of Australia, first to name the continent Australia. He dies a day later. 🔴 2007 Life Class by Pat Barker published

🔴 1951 Novel "Catcher in Rye" by J. D. Salinger published by Little Brown and Company 🔴 2005 "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", the 6th book in the series by J. K. Rowling, is published worldwide. 9 million copies sell in 24 hrs

🔴 2009 "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", the 6th film based on the books by J. K. Rowling is released worldwide

Title: The Moonlight Bride Author: Buchi Emecheta Publication Year: 1980 Pages: 77 Rating: ⭐⭐ Genre: African Literature, YA Source: Book Opening Sentence: The afternoon of that day was very hot and sunny. “The Moonlight Bride” by Buchi Emecheta tells the story of two curious (aka nosey) Nigerian girls who overhear some elders making secret preparations for a marriage. Eager to be part of the ceremony, they attempt to create clay pots and lamps. Their adventure takes an interesting turn when they discover a python near their village. This short novel explores the daily lives and traditions of the villagers through the eyes of these two teenagers. It serves as a great introduction to a different culture and its customs. Emecheta weaves the narrative around the concept of the moonlight bride, where the identities of the bride and groom remain a mystery until the last moment. However, I found reading it to be somewhat infuriating due to the defined roles for women in that tr...

🔴 1946 Dr Benjamin Spock's "Common Sense Book of Baby & Child Care" published 🔴 1989 Romantic comedy film "When Harry Met Sally" starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, directed by Rob Reiner, and written by Nora Ephron, is released 🔴 2020 The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones published

🔴 2020 Freida McFadden's One by One is published

🔴 1389 Geoffrey Chaucer is named chief clerk by Richard II

Title : Rappaccini's Daughter Author : Nathaniel Hawthorne Publication Year : 1844 Pages : 48 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Horror, Science Fiction, Gothic Source : eBook Opening Sentence : We do not remember to have seen any translated specimens of the productions of M. de l'Aubepine — a fact the less to be wondered at, as his very name is unknown to many of his own countrymen as well as to the student of foreign literature. Nathaniel Hawthorne's "Rappaccini's Daughter" is another masterpiece, where a mad scientist cultivates a toxic garden that would make even the most dedicated plant parent reconsider their hobby. Dr. Rappaccini is a genius who has already positioned himself as a god by creating his own Garden of Eden and his own Eve—the embodiment of a lethal poison. All he needs is to introduce an Adam into his garden to make his daughter happy. What could possibly go wrong? While the Devil may be absent from this plot, Hawthorne finds a way to introduc...

🔴 1818 English poet John Keats writes "In the Cottage Where Burns is Born", "Lines Written in the Highlands", and "Gadfly" 🔴 1906 Factory worker Grace Brown is murdered by her boyfriend Chester Gillette at Big Moose Lake New York, later a celebrated case that inspires Theodore Dreiser's novel "An American Tragedy" 🔴 1960 "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee is first published by J. B. Lippincott & Co. 🔴 2007 "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", the 5th film based on the books by J. K. Rowling is released

Title : The Mystery of Marie Rogêt Author : Edgar Allan Poe Publication Year : 1842 Pages : 63 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Detective Fiction Source : eBook Opening Sentence : There are few persons, even among the calmest thinkers, who have not occasionally been startled into a vague yet thrilling half-credence in the supernatural, by coincidences of so seemingly marvellous a character that, as mere coincidences, the intellect has been unable to receive them. This detective fiction features C. Auguste Dupin, a precursor to the Holmes-like detectives created by Edgar Allan Poe. It serves as a sequel to "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" but focuses on solving a new crime mystery based on a real incident. In this story, Dupin attempts to solve the crime without ever leaving his chair. Unlike traditional mysteries filled with action and adventure, this narrative revolves around Dupin and his sidekick as they meticulously examine reports and newspaper articles to uncover the trut...

🔴 1971 National Women's Political Caucus (NWPC) founded in US by women including Bella Abzug, Betty Friedan, Shirley Chisholm, Myrlie Evers-Williams and Gloria Steinem 🔴 1980 Sam Shepard's play "True West" premieres at the Magic Theatre in San Francisco 🔴 2023 Fourteenth century document by a civil servant asking for time off identified as only known handwriting by Geoffrey Chaucer, the 'Father of English Literature'

Title : Destination Biafra Author : Buchi Emecheta Publication Year : 1982 Pages : 256 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : African Literature, Historical Fiction, Source : Book Opening Sentence : THE GOVERNOR’S residence stood majestic in its Georgian elegance. Disclaimer: One of my research interests is trauma fiction, but I sometimes find it difficult to finish watching certain WWII movies or reading related books because they were too intense for me to handle. The book I recently completed exceeds anything I have read in terms of violence. I couldn’t DNF it even due to its level of brutality, as it was part of research. Now that I’ve finished, I feel nauseous. Although I've read historical fiction about war and experienced extreme anxiety from the characters' lives in various conflicts, this time felt different. I remember two years ago when I had to select one of Buchi Emecheta’s novels to write a paper on for a conference. I reviewed the synopses of her works, and when I reac...

🔴 1955 The Russell-Einstein Manifesto is released by Bertrand Russell in London on the need to avoid nuclear war

Title : If We Were Villains Author : M. L. Rio Publication Year : 2017 Pages : 354 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Dark Academia, Campus Novel, Queer, Theater-Fiction Source : eBook @storytel.tr Opening Sentence : I sit with my wrists cuffed to the table and I think, “But that I am forbid / To tell the secrets of my prison-house, / I could a tale unfold whose lightest word / Would harrow up thy soul.” If you're here to read a mystery thriller, you're actually in for more than just one book—you're getting multiple stories. The author, M.L. Rio, is a graduate in Shakespeare Studies and an English literature student, which means you're in for a captivating tale that intertwines a crime mystery with quotes and themes from Shakespeare. It feels as if Rio once asked herself what to do with her MA, and the answer was clear: write a novel using all things Shakespearean. This isn't a criticism; I genuinely appreciate what she accomplished here. The c...

🔴 1999 "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" the 3rd book of the series by J. K. Rowling is published by Bloomsbury in the UK 🔴 2000 "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire", the 4th book in the series by J. K. Rowling is published in the UK (Bloomsbury) and the US (Scholastic)

Title : Nowhere to Play Author : Buchi Emecheta Publication Year : 1980 Pages : 72 Rating : ⭐⭐ Genre : Children’s Book, Postcolonial Source : eBook Opening Sentence : It was the last day before the summer holiday. "Nowhere to Play" is a children's book by Buchi Emecheta that tells the story of a group of children from different racial backgrounds living in London as they struggle to find a place to play during their summer holiday. The narrative is presented through the eyes of a Nigerian girl. It is heartbreaking to see their challenges in simply trying to find a space to enjoy. At the same time, it can be frustrating to witness how their efforts to find a place to play can annoy others. Although I'm not particularly familiar with children's literature, I appreciate what Emecheta is conveying, especially in terms of the importance of community spaces for underprivileged groups.

🔴 1814 Walter Scott's novel "Waverley" was published

Title : The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar Author : Edgar Allan Poe Publication Year : 1845, December Pages : 12 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Horror, Hoax Source : eBook and audiobook @storytel.tr Opening Sentence : Of course I shall not pretend to consider it any matter for wonder, that the extraordinary case of M. Valdemar has excited discussion. I have read this before, but for some reason, I didn’t write a review! So here I am again, revisiting the same horror story. What’s the horror this time? The familiar obsession of Edgar Allan Poe: mesmerism. However, he really toyed with his readers this time because when he published this story, he never indicated that it was a work of fiction, leading people to believe it was a factual account. Imagine their reaction! The story features M. Valdemar, who has a medical condition that will kill him very soon. The narrator, who is a mesmerist, proposes to M. Valdemar that he can put him in a hypnotic state just before his last breath, and V...

🔴 1942 Anne Frank's family goes into hiding in After House, Amsterdam 🔴 2021 Emily R. Austin’s Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead published 🔴 2023 Don't Hang Up by Benjamin Stevenson published

Title : The Birthmark Author : Nathaniel Hawthorne Publication Year : 1843 Pages : 19 Rating :  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐   ​ Genre : Horror, Science Fiction, Allegory Source : Book Opening Sentence : In the latter part of the last century there lived a man of science, an eminent proficient in every branch of natural philosophy, who not long before our story opens had made experience of a spiritual affinity more attractive than any chemical one. This is the tale of a mad doctor with a crazy obsession over a birthmark, thinking he can play God. Everyone thinks he’s a genius, but deep down, he’s just a fraud. And guess what? His wife eventually figures it out, but does that stop her from trusting his medical wizardry? If you think so, bless your heart—you’re as naive as she is and might deserve an eye-roll! At first, everyone—including Georgiana—sees the birthmark as a cute little charm. But then her husband, driven by his obsession, convinces her it’s the most unforgivable flaw since, well, pi...

🔴 1715 Ottoman troops storm citadel of Acrocorinth in the Peloponnese, massacring a large part of the population and selling the rest into slavery. Inspires Lord Byron's poem "The Siege of Corinth"

Title : The Wrestling Match Author : Buchi Emecheta Publication Year : 1983, June 1 Pages : 74 Rating : ⭐⭐ Genre : Children’s Book, African Literature, Coming-of-age Source : Book Opening Sentence : It was during that quiet part of the evening when all the buyers and sellers of the Eke market had gone home. This book isn’t something I would typically choose, but I felt compelled to read it, so here I am. Initially, I approached it thinking it was a children’s book, but I believe it is better suited for young adults. Regardless, it's not my usual preference. The writing style is simple, clear, and direct, avoiding unnecessary embellishments. The story follows a boy’s coming of age in a Nigerian village after the Nigerian Civil War. Emecheta explores the struggles faced by a generation shaped by conflict and trauma; although this backdrop looms large, its effects are profoundly felt. The boys, having grown up amid turmoil, display a rebellious attitude, distancing themselves...

🔴 1845 American philosopher and naturalist Henry David Thoreau moves into his shack on Walden Pond 🔴 1855 In Brooklyn, New York, the first edition of Walt Whitman's book of poems, "Leaves of Grass" is published 🔴 1862 Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) creates Alice in Wonderland for Alice Liddell on a family boat trip on the river Isis (Thames) in Oxford 🔴 1968 Arthur Kopit's play "Indians" based on the life of Buffalo Bill Cody premieres in London with the Royal Shakespeare Company 🔴 1973 Alan Ayckbourn's play "Absurd Person Singular," makes its London debut

Title : The Assignation Author : Edgar Allan Poe Publication Year : 1834, January Pages : 15 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Romance Source : eBook and audiobook @storytel.tr Opening Sentence : ILL-FATED and mysterious man! Okay! Once again, Poe is confusing me, and I need to figure out what’s happening! Apparently, I read a tragic romance, and you definitely need Venice for such an atmosphere! It is poetic, beautiful, dark—very, very dark—confusing, and mesmerizing! The title hints at the secret between the lovers. The story begins with the beautiful Marchesa’s child falling into the Grand Canal (I still can’t understand how this happens). Meanwhile, her old husband, Mentoni, is playing his guitar amid the screams and chaos, and eventually seems to get bored with the mayhem. Then, a young hero jumps into the canal to save the child, and his heroism is successful. The Marchesa blushes as she receives her rescued child and says something to him that feels coded. Okay! Next, our narrator,...

🔴 2007 Liz Moore’s The Words of Every Song published

Title : A Tale of the Ragged Mountains Author : Edgar Allan Poe Publication Year : 1844 Pages : 13 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Adventure, Science Fiction, Mystery Source : eBook and audiobook @storytel.tr Opening Sentence: During the fall of the year 1827, while residing near Charlottesville, Virginia, I casually made the acquaintance of Mr. Augustus Bedloe. First of all, dear Mr. Poe, this is not the tale of the Ragged Mountains, but rather that of Mr. Augustus Bedloe. Secondly, I believe "mystery" would be a more fitting title for this story. At the beginning, you may think you understand what you are dealing with, but you will find you are mistaken at every stage of your imagined discovery. As the story unfolds, you might initially believe you are encountering a supernatural being—perhaps a vampire, a zombie, or something similar. However, you are soon informed that the situation has a medical nature. Then, it shifts again, leading you to consider concepts like time trav...

🔴 1998 The World and Other Places: Stories by Jeanette Winterson published 🔴 2024 Liz Moore’s The God of the Woods published 🔴 2024 The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali published

Title : Silence Author : Edgar Allan Poe Publication Year : 1837 Pages : 5 Rating : ⭐⭐ Genre : horror, fable Source : eBook and audiobook @storytel.tr Opening Sentence : The mountain pinnacles slumber; valleys, crags and caves are silent. "Silence - A Fable" by Edgar Allan Poe tells the story of a man encountering a demon in a desolate land. Although the reason behind this encounter is unclear, the demon feels it is his responsibility to warn the narrator about the horrors of silence and desolation by sharing another story. The narrative focuses primarily on describing a river and the landscape in Libya, vividly illustrating silence and desolation through the overwhelming power of nature. This depiction creates an uncanny image that both frightens and mesmerizes the reader.

🔴 1535 Thomas More goes on trial in England on charges of treason for refusing to accept Henry VIII's supremacy over the Pope 🔴 1972 Feminist magazine "Ms" founded by Gloria Steinem publishes its first regular issue with Wonder Woman on the cover 🔴 2006 Tanglewreck by Jeanette Winterson published